This tea cup has a conical shape with everted gilt-edged rim and a white footring. The exterior is decorated with sprays of pink peonies with dark and light green leaves. Peonies are auspicious symbols in the Peranakan culture that represent spring, love, beauty and good fortune. There are also pairs of swallows, a songbird with long pointed wings and a forked tail. Swallows are good omens of impending success. When painted as a pair, they symbolize faithfulness in a marriage. These motifs are painted on a white background, probably made from a white pigment consisting of oxide of lead and arsenic. At the rim is a white border decorated with lotus flowers and trailing ribbons. White ground Nonya wares could have been used as part of the elaborate “tok panjang” dinner service which refered to dining at home to celebrate special occasions.
